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I suspect that bonus money and the possible lack of many '25 DSL players may be returning. But it does seem small and un-Brewers-like, as we expected to see about 30 players sign. Also what gives - no one from Nicaragua? Final thoughts - am I remembering correctly, or did the org sign several pitchers at the end of 2025 IFA period (like a Tawainese pitcher, and 2 pitchers signed like right before 12/15), so while not part of this class, it bumps the '26 DSL "Signings" to closer to like 25-28. Maybe that was a factor too?

Looking @CheeseheadInQC and @jay87shot lists, it does seem like there aren't as many vacancies in the minors as I thought. With AAA having Burke or Adams joining likely Wilken, Pratt, Wood and possibly Quero (if a vet catcher is signed) along with all the 40 man players (Siegler, Baddoo, Berroa, Lockridge, Black), and Leonard, Jones as MiLB FA signing, and holdovers Zamora and Murray, that is 14 positional players, with another player maybe added. That leaves AA as one of Burke or Adams returning with EBJ likely (unless he is the 15th in AAA but good glove and better to keep giving him reps as a former 1st rounder maybe) along with Boeve, Dinges, Made, O'Rae, E. Garcia, D. Garcia, Dasan Brown and one of Vargas or Baez, this has the most need with only 10 players. But last year Biloxi ran with like 12 position players I think. SO will need probably OF depth, and they will also have Fischer, Adamczewski as possible players or early call ups. High A should feature Bitonti, Dickinson, Pena and FIscher to start the year, with Ragsdale and Nicasia in the OF and likely Alastre, Payne, Hall, Adamczewski, with bench roles to Baez, Castillo, Guilarte, and some combination of catcher that gives you 13-15 players right there. DiTuri could be pushed back down, but would be here if Baez is pushed up. Low A will then be super young again with Ebel, Encarnacion, Anderson, Fielder, Lameda, Nadal, Montero, T. Rodriguez, Ortuno, and then DiTuri will be the old guy. C will be K. Garcia and Luis Corobo likely. Then '25 ACL players Paulino and Roderick Flores, or even big IFA money Kevin Ereu could squeeze onto that roster. That is 12-14 position players there as well. So Biloxi will need bench and OF depth (2-3 guys), and AAA needs a C (Quero, or a AAAA catcher), and Low A will likely find another depth signing. SO really not as many jobs as I thought. I was expected like 10-15 needs, and after Jones/Brown/Leonard/Baddoo, we really have like 5-7 holes to fill, and those aren't even necessary as the organziation does seem to be OK with a bench of 1-2 players as Biloxi and one of the A clubs had for a while last year. Pitching is much more cloudy since we have no idea on the health of a ton of players to start the year - Knoth, Galindez, Woodward, Corniel, Tobias, Episcope, H. Robinson, Hostetler and NDFA Niemann; and the potential debuts of Thompson, Morrison, J. Bonet and even Flores. That's 13 pitchers who if able to pitch create a log jam. If questionable or held back, then there could be 5-10 slots to fill throughout the organization.

Wow. Yeah. Let’s hope he takes that gamer mentality and uses the chip on his shoulder to force his way into the top 10 prospects discussion. Man you can imagine an infield with the elite prospects with like Turang, Pratt, Made, Peña, and then the infield of just all out gamers with Adams, Dickinson, Wilken, Durbin, and then those with a little of both Adamczewski, Fischer. Depth in the dirt.

Agree. I was higher on Quintana and still believe he was a massive overpay to get a 5th OF. Still I would say in our system he would have wound around 20 - on par with Bitonti and several pitchers. But still even if we think he was 18th ahead of Wilken, that is some jump. San Diego has a solid top 3 and then it seems to be more question marks. Ours is a solid top 10, but next level is 11-19 who can all be interchangeable, and then it is more like #20-40 who would make most organization's top 30 lists.

Wow. From outside the top 30 here to #5. Yeah our depth is good, really good, and the Padres depth is um …. Not so great. Yikes

In this poll of the categories I would rate as most important (best system, best use of draft, best international, best developing pitchers, best developing hitters, finding sleepers) and ignoring the 2 that I don't value as much (obtaining prospects in trades and hoarding prospects), the Brewers rank in all of the former categories (4th, 3rd, 1st, tied 5th, tied 3rd, 1st) and a few of the better known clubs join them in several categories (LA, Sea, Det, TB). They don't rank as high in the most underrated system but that is by default I think, although Pittsburgh is both top 5 system and under-rated probably by different people. But that is impressive that the organization is highly regarded in drafting, international market, developing pitchers and hitters both, and obviously 1st in finding sleepers. Not a surprise to anyone here. Now we are not the best at obtaining prospects in trades mostly because they do so well at the other things they try to get more MLB ready talent in trades and rarely looks to add future talent as often. Only can hope that this can continue for a few more years. Great times to be a Brewers fan (says the guy who has been a fan since 1987)

Hopeful for all the best to this young man, wishing he has a full recovery first and foremost and that he is able to live out his dream of professional baseball. And a huge thank you to whomever it is that is willing to speak to ARobs to relay the information. Thanks @ARobsBrewCrew for posting this. Hopefully knowing there is a community of die hard Brewers fans spread throughout the country pulling for him will add even a tiny bit to his recovery process. I can only dream on the day that we see him on the mound in Milwaukee - could you imagine the story if he is pitching and Marco Dinges is catching, where two young men overcome such adversity in their 19-20 year old years? That would be inspirational. All the best to Frank, and to his family. Cheers BrewerFanatic minor league fanatics

agree with your start. I think Frederi MOntero will likely be in low A, and Jadyn Fielder will be there too maybe Corobo too? And some repeaters in Lameda and Ibarguen (they are still with the club right??)

I am looking forward to this one. Can't wait. I just watched the first episode, man it was a great 3+ hours. loved every minute of it. I also noted you guys alluded to a trade you missed, and I forget which one it was, but my mind went straight to a different one - the Priester for Yophery/Holobetz trade. I haven't watched this episode #2 yet to see if there is any discussion on Holobetz, or if Yophery will be discussed briefly in Wisconsin, knowing they are gone, not much to say really, so no big deal. Thanks for doing this. Hoping one of my questions makes the final cut Anyway these are the Highlight of the offseason for me!!

so that leaves Chourio, Miz, Turang, Contreras and Peralta s the remanding top 5? And if so, probably in that order (or maybe chourio, turang, contreras, miz, peralta) based upon age, team control and production. The team is Chourio and Miz's for the next 5-6 years. I would love to see one or two of Turang/Frelick/Contreras join that core, which will have Pratt/Pena/Made and Henderson/Patrick/Priester around for several years as well. There should be (and stress should be) a competitive window for another 5+ years assuming health, and no major issues with players. Please, oh please baseball gods smile down on this club.

My Carolina questions. So that first question about the HS pitchers is who are your top 3 to watch from that group? Now additional questions: Braylon Payne - he had so much hype going into 2025, and so little at the end of the season - injuries played a role, but was he overhyped by us (brewers prospects fans), or does he have the chance to move up the prospect ladder if he remains healthy. Finally which of the non-Payne OF prospects wowed you the most (Anderson, Encarnacion, Ragsdale or IF-turned-OF Rodriguez and Alastre)? EDIT: one more question - what is the plan with Bjorn Johnson do you think? He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen but often multi-innings and is a young former HS pick. Did he have an arm injury that I overlooked, or why pitch only as a reliever at this point of his career?

that's a really solid point. Thanks! Again incredible stuff putting together the list. Hopeful this year's IFA players will have a better debut year than last years. And I am already counting down to the 2029 DSL season 🤣

@Spencer Michaelis - do you know if any of these deals ever breakdown? I mean the stats seem absolutely astonishing, but ignoring the elephant of forged documents, he could get hurt, have peaked early or had some faulty scouting numbers. I mean I hope not as this kid (literal kid) seems like a dream type of signing. But just curious if you know as essentially 3 years ahead of official signing season seems crazy to commit that kind of bonus money.

completely agree. but like the trades I mentioned (Areinamo and Quintana) just because we are trading out of a strength doesn't mean we have to trade the player just to trade them, and this is also more being underwhelmed by Zerpa who is not a strike out pitcher, and I would have said Mears for Zerpa with a marginal prospect would have been better (or Berroa or Lochridge). Anyway, we will see. I would have thought a controlled player, who got ROY votes would be worth more in value.

Not entirely as various projections have Collins as a reasonable contributor - and just for example, in the most recent article I read which was from The Athletic where Keith Law (yes we can all agree to disagree with him, but he is still a MLB writer and has no real stand for KC even if he doesn't regard MIL very highly) stated "The Royals clearly benefit from this trade — Collins is easily a two-win upgrade over Waters, and Mears for Zerpa might be a wash." So I may overvalue Mears and Collins, but others may see the value as well. Obviously the Brewers brass doesn't value them as much, or really over-values Zerpa. Either way, the team mostly makes good decisions, but will make bad decision as any team will do (still think Areinamo was a way-to-high pay for 1-2 months of Jansen; and also thought Quintana was a lotto ticket we didn't need to send in order to make Cortes go away and add Lochridge who still is a questionable player in this crowded OF).

Wait I thought Stearns went the Mets 😉😂. But yeah the Brewers minor league FAs like their minor league rule 5 players are hot commodities. Success will do that.

Very underwhelming. Mears was the key piece in the Blalock/Y. Herrera trade. So now it is Herrera for Zerpa essentially. Mears was meh in 2024 and awesome in 2025, maybe they worried about a Bryan Hudson like regression and not being able to move him at all. I love Collins, but agree he is not likely a long term piece - he will be versatile and will have some very good seasons but unlikely to have sustained success if I were to guess given he was an older rookie and picked up in the minor league rule 5 draft. Maybe the FO sees it as a "sell high" but again the return is just underwhelming. If I heard Berroa or Lockridge for a middling reliever I'd be OK. But two guys with value for a potentially OK LHP reliever. Not overly impressed. But hey, we have Akil Baddoo which now rivals Angel Zerpa as the coolest names in the roster so there is that motivation - trade away the boring names and bring in exotic names....

🥲 Fare thee well young Mr. Cornielle

I mean this is to give these players an opportunity elsewhere. Hedbert is a very nice prospect, tons of power potential but could not get healthy, and is getting lost in the prospect shuffle with a lot of high upside bats in the system. I hope he gets an opportunity to showcase what all were hoping from him when news broke out of his potential during the 2020 COVID summer "league". Health and Ks really hurt him and the occasional defensive lapses. Zavier Warren - will he know what to do if he is anywhere outside of Biloxi, I mean at least Cincinnati has a team in the Southern League (Chattanooga) so he will come back home every now and then. The question is what does biloxi do without it's Mayor?!?? we hardly knew ya. This is odd to sign a guy a month ago and not protect him, I'm a little confused. 2 years in a row for Mr. Spain to be selected, also uncommon. The spark plug gets another shot. He definitely was a cog in the Shuckers year (key hits or HR, and some defensive gems, and a beautiful maneuver to avoid the tag and get a run across that will be remembered for the ages .... link: https://www.milb.com/biloxi/video/garrett-spain-avoids-a-tag-to-score )

I hear you and can only hope, but Wilken feels like he is just being passed by several players like Burke, Fischer, Made, Pena, Adamczewski. Sadly getting hurt the past two seasons and his awful K rate are holding him back, I hope the guy can bring it, but after a few years the prospect shine is fading fast.

Ok a few more - catching depth behind Quero and Dinges - it’s likely Wood and which DSL/ACL/Low A catcher can be the next in line? how bad is it hitting the southern league, and what do we make of the offensive stats there - any precedent? Thoughts on Birchard’s season and was his late season surge just his up/down, or could there be something going right and clicking? which Milwaukee IFA pitching prospect makes it to the bigs next - Manuel Rodriguez, Stiven Cruz or Jesus Broca, or who did I miss? Final question - where do we see the ‘25 draftees play in 2026 - specifically the pitchers like Thompson, Morrison, Cairone, Healy and Flores

Victor Estevez, future manager of the year ... we will miss you and your competitive teams.

I hope not. I have him higher on the depth chart just after the big top 2, and ahead of Miller and Rodriguez etc. Wood is the same age as Miller and is better defensively, with a better hit tool. Miller has great zone discipline and gets a lot of HBP. The team must like him a bit, but I would rather have Wood as my AA/AAA catcher prospect this season.

Obviously to be elite you need about 6-7 solid hitters, and 3-4 front end starters. But just behind that is the 2025 Brewers of incredible depth, 7-8 capable OFs for injury, slumps etc. Collins is part of that and like break out prospect the year before in Myers, he will play a role this year. The question is he truly a late bloomer and demand a starting spot with improved production, or will he be a reliable position player with options who will help cover innings and at bats. I harbor no doubt that Isaac will play a key role in this upcoming season, just as a fill in or bench bat, or a regular OF starter in a crowded lineup. Still nice to have several MLB ready OF options. And the focus on him (or Mitchell, or Perkins or Lochridge) is much less if Chourio and Frelick build on their last 2 seasons and Yeli remains a reliable hitter at DH/LF. Depth is the team/franchise MO the past few years - in the minors and in the bigs too

I like the idea a back up catcher for Contreras and allow Quero some more time in AAA. I think a 1-year (or 1 year with an option year) would work best. Sounds like any of those suggested could work, and I do like Caratini as well, but I am surprised by that asking price, is that real for him as a 31 year old back up only maybe with a little more offense but not great D?? What are the odds of a Danny Jansen reunion?